A FAMILY is celebrating keeping a town well fed for 50 years this week.

Mother Irene Rossi and daughter Marisa blew out the candles on their cafe’s anniversary cake on Tuesday, watched on by their loyal customers at T Marisa, in Bargoed High Street.

Opened on January 25, 1961, by Irene and her late husband Joe, the family-run business has kept traders, shoppers and friends stocked up with tea, sandwiches and cakes ever since.

The cafe was originally called Rossi’s but Mr and Mrs Rossi, who grew up in Blaenau Gwent, renamed the business after daughter Marisa was born. Mr Rossi sadly died in 1992 and Marisa stepped in to help out her mother.

The mother and daughter team marked the cafe’s 50th birthday by displaying old photographs of the business and its customers, as well as playing 1960s music and wearing 1960s themed clothes.

T Marisa has its own Facebook page with some customers describing Irene and Marisa as “legends” and stating the cafe just gets better and better with age.

Irene is still working behind the counter six days a week, even at the age of 73, and Marisa said her mother is showing no signs of wanting to put her feet up.

Marisa said: “Everybody still knows the cafe as Rossi’s from when my parents opened it.

“We’ve had a lot of lovely messages from customers to say happy birthday. Some of them have been reminiscing about my father – many remember him.

“It’s been an emotional week. I think my father would have been proud that we’ve kept the business going and that we’re celebrating our 50th anniversary.

“It’s been a lovely occasion but it would have been even better if he had been here to see it.

“It’s a generational thing coming into the cafe for our customers, a lot now come in with their own children. There’s a real sense of community spirit.

“My mother is 73 and still works six days a week because she enjoys seeing the customers. She’s still going strong.

“We’ve had a lot to contend with but we’ve kept it going and will continue to do so for a long time. We’re so grateful to our customers.”